Cubs Trade Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the A's

If you are just tuning in the Chicago Cubs let of some high powered fireworks tonight by trading both Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija to the Oakland A's for SS Addison Russell, P Dan Straily, OF Billy McKinney, and a PTBNL.

Oakland Receives:

The Oakland A's just added more solid win now players to an already solid team.  Both Shark and Jason will slide right into that rotation making them an even stronger favorite to make it deep into the playoffs.

Cubs Receive:

Addison Russell

Yep, the Cubs just got the #7 best prospect in Baseball Prospectus pre-2014 rankings.  I have not seen a ranking worse than #15 before the season started and Jason Parks suggested he would now rank Russell #6 overall in his new prospect rankings which is pretty impressive.  The thing that makes Russell so appealing is he is a true SS which makes his value even higher when you see in just 723 minor league plate appearances he has hit .302 with a .390 OBP and a .909 OPS.  Here is a nice prospect video to wet your whistle!

Dan Straily

A decent sized 25 year old right-handed pitcher that has seen 41 big league starts since 2012.  Over 230 innings in the majors with Oakland he has posted a 4.11 ERA with a 7.4 SO/9 and 3.4 BB/9.  Straily works with 3 above average pitches and is able to stay around the plate. His fastball stays in the low 90s but can hit 95 at times.  Although Straily is nothing "dominate" he could be the diamond in the rough in this deal. Here is a nice little video of Dan Straily.

Billy McKinney

He was selected in the first round of the 2013 draft and is getting some decent buzz for the tools he has. While his stats don't jump off the page they are pretty solid even if it is just high A ball.  he has hit .277 with a .354 OBP in 505 AB since joining the team in 2013.  Bleacher Report has a nice scouting report on McKinney so check that out. 

PTBNL

Many media reports suggest this is not that significant but others are not so sure.  We will likely have this leaked sometime soon but until we do some names to keep an eye on are Raul Alcantara, Nolan Sanburn, Bobby Wahl, and Dillon Overton.

Thoughtful Reactions:

 Theo and Jed pulled a fantastic trade tonight.  Not because they addressed a need but they just acquired the best prospects regardless of position.  Something that many of my followers have suggested in the past. Yes the Cubs did not address their biggest need which was pitching but they might as well have.  The Chicago Cubs now have the #3, #5, #6, and #18 best prospect in the BP Top 50 according the Jason Parks.  Because of that the Cubs can now deal some of their surplus of prospect for other impact talent.  So what I am saying is that we are not done.  I feel the Cubs could and will and still deal guys like Wesley Wright, Darwin Barney, James Russell, and Nate Schierholtz and also think we might see the Cubs make another blockbuster before the trade deadline.  In the end I give this trade a solid B+ because of the overall talent the Cubs received but also feel they did not directly receive the impact TOR pitcher that has been rumored all along.  But to sum this up right now the Cubs have a strong enough farm system to trade for guys like Giancarlo Stanton or David Price and not completely deplete their system.

Until Next Time...

Source: Cubs & Mariners Discussing Dustin Ackley Trade

A source tells me Chicago Cubs front office have had discussions about acquiring 26 year old current utility man Dustin Ackley.  He went on further to say that the Cubs and Mariners have discussed a trade involving the Mariners getting a player, IFA Bonus Pool money, or both.  The Mariners have been linked to both Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija but this seems smaller move than that said the source. 

 

Dustin Ackley’s time in Seattle seems to be drawing to a close as he continues to struggle at the plate.  In 1567 PA within 4 seasons Ackley has posted a .241 average with a .309 OBP and just a .350 SLG.  He has been moved around in the lineup and in the field a lot which could be a factor why he has struggled at the plate.  He has played 281 games at 2b, 125 games in the outfield, and 18 games at 1^st.  His natural position seems to be 2b but he handles the OF pretty well.  To me it seems like a guy who needs a change of scenery after having some struggles at the big league level. 

 

So you may ask what makes Ackley so interesting?  Well before the 2011 season Baseball America put Dustin Ackley as its 12^th best prospect in baseball while Baseball Prospectus put him at #25 in that same year.  In his minor league career over 1044 PA Ackley has a .290 average with a .397 OBP and a .840 OPS.  He had 149 BB to 131 SO during that span.  There is something not transitioning to the ML level.  We have seen this front office and coaching staff get the most out of its players whether it be Rizzo climb toward stardom, Luis Valbuena’s emergence as a solid Major Leaguer, Arrieta’s ascension to ACE status, etc… We have seen them take players like this and cash in. A move that would send bonus money to the Mariners (who have been linked to big $ IFA) for Dustin Ackley has Theo and Jed written all over it.  This front office seems to take other teams unwanted players or guys their current team has just given up on and breathe new life into them.  And if my source is correct then they think they can do the same with Dustin Ackley.

 

I guess we will find out soon.

 

Until Next Time… 

 

Samardzija a Perfect Fit for Cardinals

So I left the Cards off the Samardzija sweepstakes series because I felt trades within the division are pretty dicey and unlikely especially when impact players like Shark are involved but that was before 2 Cardinal pitchers went down with injury and the Shark chatter increased.  Then you start seeing the Cards scouting Jeff Samardzija starts and then multiple media members labeling St. Louis as a suitor for Jeff.  So after going over this several times I have come to unique conclusion.  The Cardinals are a perfect landing spot for Jeff Samardzija.

Reasoning

First off lets address something.  I am not and will never be a Jeff Samardzija fan.  Ever since his comments about wanting to be on a "winner", throwing ownership and the front office under the bus, not understanding the direction of the front office, turning down 2 reasonable extensions, and then trashing those players who signed team friendly extensions (although he did not name them but it was implied he was talking about the likes of Rizzo, Castro, Longoria, etc.).  I respect the competitor and the talent Shark is but I do not care for his antics and constant venting/communicating through the media.  So having Jeff Samardzija dress in that Cards red would be an easy transition for me because I just do not like the guy.

The 2nd reason I think this trade works is both clubs have to take a great leap of faith when it comes to this deal.  The Cards are going to have to give up more than one quality prospect; prospects that could torment them for years to come. While the Cubs have to deal with the idea of Shark (who is developing into an Ace) pitching against them for at least the next year and a half; possibly more. It is a give and take where both have the opportunity to win or lose the trade which is why the appeal to get over on your division rival makes this trade possible.

The 3rd reason is both have the resources to get this done.  The Cardinals want a top on the rotation pitcher to help them this year and next which is why they are targeting David Price and Jeff Samardzija.  The Cubs want impact prospects either ready or near ready.  The Cards can deal multiple impact prospects and still not deplete their farm system which puts them in the front when talking about other suitors for Shark.

Players that could be dealt

The Cubs Side:  Well obviously you are talking about Jeff Samardzija but the Cards need bullpen help which the Cubs can help.  Schlitter, Wright, Russell, and Carlos Villanueva all could be dealt at the deadline and all could help the pitch hungry Cardinals.  The Cardinals are ranked 17th in bullpen ERA while the Cubs are ranked 7th so obviously the need is there.  Plus the Cubs will also be targeting pitching so they may need to give more pitching to get pitching back in the deal.

The Cardinals Side:  I would start off by saying Oscar Taveras is off-limits but now I am not so sure especially after reading this article from Mike at Cubs Den.  Obviously he would be the main target giving he is let-handed, only 22, MLB ready, hits for power and average, good OBP, and plays the corner spots in the OF (see his stats here).  Honestly an Oscar Taveras for Jeff Samardzija might be realistic from both sides.  It might come down to if the FO values pitching more or if it just comes down to quality.  Taveras=Quality.  If Theo and Co. do want pitching then the first guy on their list would be Carlos Martinez.  The Cards are using Martinez currently in the rotation but he has done most of his work in the bullpen this year.  If the Cubs did get him in a deal for Shark then they will likely have to include a reliever (like I stated above).  Martinez is going to be a #1 starter in the ML,  He gets the nickname baby Pedro after Pedro Martinez and the profile is so similar it is scary. You can see his stats here or his impressive minor league stats  here. Of course the Cards could get Shark even without including those two but they will have to give up more in the terms of quantity.  Guys like Stephen Piscotty, Marco Gonzales, Rob Kaminsky, Tim Cooney, Zach Petrick, etc.  The fact is the Cards system is stacked with quality talent and they have the goods to get the deal done. 

Conclusion

In the end I think the Cardinals as a destination for Jeff Samardzija is a legit one.  When laying everything out above I honestly believe a deal could happen.  I think the chances dramatically increase if the Rays end up pulling back David Price or their asking price increases to something like Taveras plus some or Martinez plus some which I believe it will get that high.  There is no doubt in my mind a deal can be hammered out by the Cubs and Cardinals especially if the Cards get desperate enough and include Oscar Taveras or Carlos Martinez.

Until Next Time...

What do you have to offer Dodgers, Marlins, Nationals, and Rockies?

 

This is the final installment of the series “What do you have to offer”  So lets take a look at the final 4 teams.

 

Dodgers

 

Joc Pederson:  It is hard not to express my love for Joc and there is good reason.  This year he has hit for a .391 avg with a .437 OBP and a 1.005 OPS.  His K rate is quite high but so is his walks.  He is the Dodgers top prospect and must be included in any deal for Samardzija.  See his stats here.

 

Zach Lee:  There is your package.  Joc Pederson and Zach Lee plus another high ceiling high risk player.  Many of you are not as high on Lee as I am but the fact that he has four average big league pitches, eats innings, and throws strikes makes him incredibly intriguing to me.  There is a reason the past 3 seasons he has been rated in the top 100 best prospects in baseball.  He may not every reach the ceiling of an Ace scouts thought but his floor of a #3 starter in the big leagues is as sure as sure can get.  See his stats here.

 

Notes: Some other guys that would be nice (but not as nice) as the guys above are Chris Withrow who has a career 2.73 ERA in 56 IP for the Dodgers the past two years.  There is a lot of talk of him being converted back into a starter.  Of course high ceiling LHP Julio Urias is a nice looking prospect and everyone loves LHP Chris Reed.  Although the Dodgers may not have the dynamic pitching prospect they are looking for they have the lefty, athletic, and potential All-Star bat in Joc Pederson they love.  I also would like to throw in the idea of getting Matt Kemp even though he does not bat from the left-side he maybe an intriguing option for Theo and Co.

 

 

Marlins

 

Andrew Heaney: It has to start with him.  LHP who is in the top 5 best pitching prospects in baseball.  He has 3 quality pitches and is a likely #2 starter in the big leagues.  This year he was rated in the top 30 best prospects in baseball and at the age of 23 he made his ML debut for the Marlins.  In 3 seasons in the minors all he did was sport at sparking 2.31 ERA over 36 starts with a 9 SO/9 and a 2.1 BB/9.  This guy is the bee knees and the Cubs should be so lucky to get him in a deal for Shark.  See his stats here.

 

Justin Nicolino: Another solid lefty in the Marlins organization who has posted a 2.64 ERA in 419 IP with a 7 SO/9 and 1.6 BB/9.  He throws strikes and does not walk many batters but he lacks the upside of Heaney or many pitchers in this series but is still very intriguing. 

 

Notes:  Some other players that are interesting as well are Adam Conley, Anthony DeSclafani, and Jose Urena.  The Marlins have the big piece that is attractive to the Cubs but the lack smaller pieces to compete with the other teams. FYI the Cubs really do not have a shot at Stanton without getting another team involved or including a top prospect of their own in the deal.

 

 

Nationals

 

Lucas Giolito:  Unlike a lot of the players on this list Giolito is in the lower levels of the minors but he would still be a huge target.  Posting a large 9.5 SO/9 rate is insane to go along with a 2.37 ERA in just 87 IP is too good to pass up.  If that is not enough then you look at the rating Baseball America gave him on their prospect list which is #21 and Baseball Prospectus was really impressed as well giving him the #13 best prospect in baseball label for 2014.  He is a headliner and a guy you jump for joy if the Cubs have a chance at him.

 

A.J. Cole: In the same mold as Lucas Giolito but does not have the upside Lucas has.  Still in 2014 he was rated in the top 70 prospects by MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus.  Cole in 437 IP has a great 9.3 SO/9 and a low 2.1 BB/9.  He is a little further along in his development having pitched about 110 IP in AA for the past two years.  He could see the ML sometime in 2015. 

 

Notes:  The Nationals have a nice farm system including Rafael Bautista who is off to a fast start for a 21 year old batting .311 with a .385 OBP in 191 games between rookie and A ball.  While the Nats have a nice farm system without Cole of Giolito they do not get Shark.

 

Rockies

 

Carlos Gonzalez:  He has been rumored to be on the trade block the past 2 seasons and has been linked to the Cubs several times.  The Rockies front office seem to want pitching and are willing to dangle the struggling and oft-injured Gonzalez to get it.  Enter the Cubs who are in need and wanting ML talent especially in the OF that bats left-handed.  He is the perfect fit.  Not only that but the Cubs are in the position to take on a large portion of his salary to also sweeten the deal.  Something a lot of teams may not be willing to do.  He is and will be the top guy the Cubs should target.

 

Jon Gray:  The Cubs can get Gray after all.  He has all the make-up as a #1 pitcher especially with a 100MPH fastball and a good slider along with a solid changeup.  Gray has been nothing but solid making his way to AA after just 19 games pitched.  IN 23 games started he has a 3.15 ERA with a 9.6 SO/9.  This is the guy the Cubs need to make a deal if they cannot get Cargo.

 

Notes:  The Rockies are not without other solid to good prospects.  Eddie Butler would be a nice piece to interchange with Gray as you can see from his stats here.  I also like David Dahl but he still has a lot of development in from of him.  Catcher Tom Murphy is an interesting choice who has struggled some in AA this year but will likely hit for power and scouts love his defense.

 

 

That concludes my “What do you have to offer?” series.  In the end all these teams have a legit chance to deal for Samardzija if they are willing to trade the pieces I laid out and we are soon to find out if they will.

 

Until Next Time….

 

 

 

 

What do you have to offer Giants and Braves?

Phase 3 is underway of the Shark Sweepstakes! Now we take a look at two very interesting teams that are known to be “in” on Samardzija.

 

Giants

 

Kyle Crick: The best prospect in the Giants system and it is really hard to see them part with him but unlike other top prospects I feel the Giants could actually deal Crick.  Crick is labeled in the top 40 best prospects in baseball by Baseball America, MLB.com, and Baseball Prospectus.  With the upside of an ace and the downside of a #3 starter it will be nearly impossible for any team to compete with the Giants if they include Crick in a deal for Shark.  In 231 innings in the minors Crick has posted 10.7 SO/9 .2 HR/9 and a 2.61 ERA.  He is the guy you dream about when talking about a Shark deal.  Check out this scouting profile from Fangraphs here. 

 

Edwin Escobar: If Crick is #1 on the list then Escobar is 1a.  Although his ERA over 494 innings pitched in the minors is 4.08 his SO/9 is a nice 9.1 and BB/9 is 3.0.  He may be the most underrated prospect I list in this whole series considering Baseball America rated him the 56^th best prospect in baseball andMLB.com rated him the 95^th best in 2014.  Some predicted Escobar could actually make it up to the Majors in 2014 so he is as close as ready you can get to ML ready when talking about legit prospects coming back in a Shark deal. 

 

Notes:  The Giants have a loaded farm system which makes them dealing for Samardzija relatively easy to do even without completely depleting it.  This is a plus for the Cubs since they are requiring a heavy price tag when it comes to Shark.  Some other guys that would and could be included in a deal along with Crick or Escobar or even in a package not including Escobar or Crick are Clayton Blackburn, Adalberto Mejia, and Mac Williamson.  Giants would be one of the most ideal teams to deal with if you are Theo and Jed.

 

Braves

 

Jason Heyward:  You didn’t think the Cubs would just trade for prospects did you?  I have some insight that suggest the Cubs are wanting to deal for a young Major League ready outfielder who hits left-handed for Shark if they cannot acquire an elite level pitching prospect.  Enter Jason Heyward.  Many of you have turned your back on Heyward. Even some suggest the reason he did not get a long extension is because he has fallen out of favor with the Braves.  At the age of 24 it is hard to turn your back on a guy like Jason Heyward in my opinion.  While his numbers are solid at best .259 avg with .349 OBP over 600 games it is hard to ignore that he still has room to improve and reach that upside the scouts drooled over.  Now I think a package around Heyward would have to be pretty strong for the Cubs to take him as a headliner.  But remember the Cubs FO asked for him and Justin Upton for Shark in the past so the interest is there.

 

Alex Wood: What?  I did not take a top 10 prospect in my top 2?  No I didn’t because of what Alex Wood offers at the age of 23.  Although a small sample size he has been tested in the ML.  IN 138 innings pitched he has posted a 3.26 ERA with a 9.1 SO/P and a 2.7 BB/9.  Another huge plus is he is left-handed and can hit low to mid 90s on his fastball.  The Braves have an advantage because I feel the Cubs are valuing close to ready or ready ML players back for Shark.  This is a trend you will continue to see in this post. 

 

Notes:  The Brave theoretically could offer Alex Wood and Jason Heyward in a deal for Shark without adding any of their big prospects which honestly bodes well for both teams.  Other players that would of course be in the minds of the Cubs front office are Lucas Sims, Christian Bethancourt, J.R. Graham, Jason Hursh, Sean Gilmartin, and David Hale.

 

Up on the next post we will look at two very interesting and two very different teams; Dodgers and Marlins.  Until Next Time….

 

 

 

What do you have to offer Royals and A's?

In this 2^nd installment of Shark Sweepstakes we take a look at two more teams that could use Jeff Samardzija for a playoff run and what they have to offer…

 

Royals

 

Kyle Zimmer: He is the guy you get if you deal with the Royals.  Why you may ask? Well he is a top 25 prospect in baseball even with his lat injury this year and he has an Ace upside that is impossible to ignore.  He is at risk because of the recent arm issues but so far he does not require Tommy John surgery that we have seen so many pitchers fall to this year.  The other reason he is on this list mainly because of this scouting report bybaseballprospectnation in 2012.

 

Yordano Ventura: Some will argue he is off limits because he is currently helping the big club win and you are probably correct.  But if you are going to get Jeff Samardzija you have to pay.  End of story!  The Royals will have to give up Zimmer or Ventura in a deal for Shark.  That is unless of course they go nuts and trade Alex Gordon.  But enough about them.  Ventura is the guy the Cubs should target if Zimmer is off limits.  Just check out this nice fangraphs write up on him here.

 

Notes: The Cubs need one of these pitchers (or Alex Gordon) to make a deal with the Royals work.  I believe this will be quality over quantity.  There are two other nice prospects I see the Cubs take a look at as a secondary piece like P Sean Manaea and/or OF Jorge Bonifacio.  Both top 10 prospects in the Royals farm system. 

 

 

Athletics

 

Michael Ynoa:  Once thought of the prize of the A’s farm system the guys just cannot stay healthy.  Scouts cannot place whether he will be a great #2 starter, #4 starter, power closer, or complete bust.  At only 22 years old this guy could still become something special.  The issue is whether he is worth the gamble as a headliner in a Shark deal. On his own I am not so sure.  You can see his numbershere.

 

Raul Alcantara: Now the prize arm of the Oakland A’s; he would be so high on my list of all prospects if he had not just went down with Tommy John surgery.  We have seen Theo and Jed take a gamble before with players with injury issues and he is definitely worth the gamble.  Here is what John Sickles had to say about him before the start of the year. Grade B-: Borderline B. Secondary pitches went from non-existent to solid last year and he already had a good fastball, resulting in dramatically improved performance and big spike in strikeout rate. I want to see if he sustains it, but could be a number three starter.

 

 

Note: The A’s really have a nice farm but the problem is I do not believe any of their current available prospects are what Theo and Jed want.  The main issue is the age of the prospects.  Almost any impact prospect they have is either in the majors (which they will not trade) or below AA or injured.  They are still on the list because the A’s could still put a nice package together for Shark and plus they have been directly linked to him in the past.  And those of your pining for Addison Russell can keep dreaming.  The guys is going nowhere!

 

 

On the next post we will be taking a look at the Giants and Braves… Until Next Time..

 

 

 

 

What Do You Have To Offer Orioles and Jays?

When talking about the Chicago Cubs it is hard not to think of the draft as their Superbowl.  So if the draft is their Superbowl then the trade deadline is their Stanley Cup!  Hopefully soon we will talk about the Cubs as buyers at the deadline and not sellers but in the post we are going to check out the Shark trade market. We know just about every team would love Shark on their roster contender or not.  Although; not all these teams will be as “in” on Shark as the others. So we are going to try to eliminate some of the teams first. Teams that are currently out of playoff contention which I will exclude from the Shark Sweepstakes are the Rays, Diamondbacks, Phillies, Reds, and Padres. Next; lets omit the teams that have pressing needs in other places than pitcher which would be the Rangers, Cardinals, and Red Sox. After that lets omit teams that simply do not have the farm system or tradable ML players to acquire Jeff Samardzija on their own which would be the Tigers, Angels, Yankees, Mariners, and White Sox. Next lets remove the teams that are not likely to go all in for Shark for one reason or another which would be the Mets, Astros, Indians, Twins, Brewers, and Pirates.  Now as many as 12 teams have been linked to Shark in the past but obviously only one team will pay up for his services before the trade deadline.  The teams I see as legit contenders (not just talkers) are the Blue Jays, Orioles, Royals, Athletics, Giants, Braves, Dodgers, Marlins, Nationals, and  Rockies.

 

So over the next few weeks I will be highlighting 2 of the teams above and then the top 2 guys in each team that the Cubs will likely target in a deal for Shark.

 

Let’s start it off with some likely suitors….

 

Blue Jays

 

Drew Hutchinson: The 23 year old pitcher has been solid this year posting a 3.96 ERA in 13 starts all while striking out 67 in 75 innings pitching for the big league club.  His 8 SO to 2.8 BB per 9 looks pretty good on paper but seeing this guy pitch just shows he has the potential to be something special in the majors.  Read the scouting report on him back in March of 2012 byprospectinstinct.com.

 

 

Marcus Stroman:  This is the grand prize for the Cubs front office.  They have been linked to him for quite some time now and there is a reason why!  In his small sample size in the majors he is posting a high ERA of 5.18 but his 7.8 SO to 1.1 BB ratio per 9 shows the potential of a top of the rotation pitcher.  I look at his major league stats in the backdrop of his minor league numbers which are far more impressive and found here.   He is the arguably the Jays best top prospect in their system.

 

Note: While I like Aaron Sanchez I believe the Cubs are going to want ready or a near ready pitching piece as the main piece for Shark.  I am not saying they won’t be interested in Sanchez I just believe Hutchinson and Stroman are more appealing.  Sanchez would have been #3 on my list.

 

 

Orioles

 

Kevin Gausman: Scouts are split 50/50 on Gausman but I love what he offers.  He has the potential to be a #1 starter which earned him the 10^th best prospect in baseball according to Baseball Prospectus and the 20^th best prospect in baseball according to Baseball America before 2014 started.  Gausman is only 23 years old and has only seen 31 games in the minors but his numbers are nice.  Sporting a 3.36 ERA over those 31 games and posting 9 SO/9 and only 2.1 BB/9.  He should be a top prize for the Cubbies but don’t ask me, check out the scouting report from Baseball Prospectushere.

 

Dylan  Bundy: The O’s number 1 prospect is coming off Tommy John Surgery but should start pitching again this month.  Because his health is in the air makes him a good candidate to get dealt for the Cubs and Orioles. A 2012 Fangraphs should get you jazzed with their scouting report here.

 

 

Note:  The Orioles are going to have to part with one of these pitchers to get Shark especially with the amount of action he will be getting from other teams.

 

 

Next on our list the Royals and Indians… Until Next Time…

 

 

 

Kris Bryant to be called up to Iowa... June 19th

Yep… Just like the headline says.  Kris Bryant to be called to AAA Iowa on Thursday June 19^th for their match-up against El Paso.

 

Now I know what you are saying.  Where is this coming from? Has there been a press release? A leak?  Is there a source?  Well; really none of the above.  I got my information from… well… me.  To me there are various reasons why Kris Bryant has not been called up as of yet whether you deem that right or wrong decision.  But there are two reasons that no one is talking about that brings us back to my bold statement of him being called up to Iowa on Thursday June 19^th.

 

The first reason is the AA All-Star Game is on Tuesday the 17^th of June.  I just do not see Theo and Jed calling up Bryant before he has a chance to play in the AA All-Star Game.  They really are in no need to rush him up to Iowa (except of public outcry) so using the excuse they wanted to give Bryant a chance to play in the All-Star game could be a valid reason to keep him in Tennessee until then. Plus this also gives him a travel day to Iowa since the 18^th is a day off for all the league (being the day after the All-Star game).  The 2^nd  reason is the plate appearances at each level.  While Theo and Jed have said they would like to see 400 PA before being called up not one of their top prospects have eclipsed over 337 plate appearances in one stop in the minors and that 337 PA was done in high A ball by Javier Baez.  In fact Rizzo was called up to Chicago after 284 plate appearances, Baez started the season in AAA after just 240 plate appearances with the Smokies, and let’s not forget Bryant only had 146 PA for Rookie, low A, and high A ball total in 2013 before starting the year with Tennessee. Bryant is sitting at 239 plate appearances and by the AA All-Star break he is likely to see 40-50 more between now and then putting him in the 280-290 range which is right in between what Baez and Rizzo saw before their promotions. 

 

To me this is just reading the tea leaves and looking at past experiences and data lead me to this conclusion.  Take it for what it is worth but I will tell you one thing I will be at Principal Park when Mr. Bryant makes his debut on Thursday June 19^th!

 

Until Next Time…

 

 

 

10 Things To Improve MLB

10 things that need to be changed, added, and/or developed to improve Major League Baseball:

 

1.   End MLB blackout restrictions!  PERIOD!

This needs to end!  I am in Iowa and I cannot watch 6 teams including my beloved Cubs on MLB.tv because of blackout restrictions.  Create a free market where anyone can view any team for a price.  You have no idea how much blackout restrictions currently hurt the sport of baseball.

 

2.   Bring the DH to the National League

I am tired of the talk it is not real baseball, that the AL should change, etc.  There are several pros and cons to bring the DH to the NL but the pros outweigh those cons.  I wrote about this in the past and you can see my remarks here.

 

3.   Expand the Major League Roster size to 26 players

This is something that I have been in support of for years.  Sure 25 players is all fine and dandy but expanding to 26 players will likely end or surely decrease the “do you go with 13 pitchers or 13 position players?” talk.  This will also expand the chances for younger and older players alike to make it or stay in The Show.  It also allows versatility and more options for the teams overall.

 

4.   Revamp the service time, super two status, and arbitration process

I am just not a fan of time dictating how much or little a player makes.  Not sure what to replace or how to revamp the process but it just needs to be done.

 

5.   Bring in the pitch clock

I am so tired of batters taking minutes in between pitches adjusting they batting gloves, checking their bat, wiping their cleats, etc.  But pitchers are at fault too!  They walk around, use the bag, move dirt around the mound etc.  To make the game more enjoyable please institute a 25 second pitch clock between pitches.  It is easy and does not really affect the sacred game of baseball.  It would make baseball more watchable to the average fan and overall I think it would increase more butts in the seats and eyes to the television.  To enforce the 25 second pitch clock is easy.  If the batter is the guilty party by going over the allotted time after the pitcher is ready to pitch then he gets an automatic strike placed on him.  If the pitcher is the guilty party going over that time then a called ball is awarded to the batter.  This is so logical, I am not sure why they have not done this by like… YESTERDAY!

 

6.   Limit the catcher, manager, pitching coach, other players meeting at the mound

Another way of speeding up the game.  I think each starting pitcher should get a limit of 3 meetings (a reliever should get 2) at the mound a game by either the catcher, manager, pitching coach, or other players.  Each meeting will last only 60 seconds and will utilize the same clock as the pitch clock for the meetings.  Also under this rule the 1ast meeting (3^rd for SP and 2^nd for RP) at the mound an “action” must be made whether it be a double switch, pitching change, etc…  Again this seems so logical to me.

 

7.   Change the playoff and division format… AGAIN

No more divisions in baseball and go back to the old format of a National League Division and American League Division.  But with one catch;  expand playoffs to 12 teams.  The top 6 teams out of the NL and the top 6 team in the AL will battle to be World Series Champions.  This playoff formula will be much like the NBA so with no further delaying here is my playoff system.

 

Both the NL and AL will have the same format playing in their own division until the World Series Game in which they will play each other. Each teams seed will correspond where they finished in their respected division. The better seed will always have home field advantage. First round games will go home/away/home for the better seeds. Second round games will go home/home/away/away/home for the better seeds. The Division Championship Series and the World Series  will go home/away/away/home/home/away/home in which home field advantage is still determined by league that wins the All-Star game.  See below for even more details-

 

First Round: Best of 3 games

6th seed vs. 3^rd seed

5^th seed vs. 4^th seed

1^st seed bye

2^nd seed bye

 

Second Round: Best of 5 games

1st seed vs. the worse of the two seeds remaining

2^nd seed vs. the better of the two seeds remaining

 

Division Championship Series: Best of 7 games

NL and AL Division Championship Game

 

World Series: Best of 7 games

NL Playoff Winner vs. AL Playoff Winner

 

Other notes:

-       Playoffs will start 3 days after the season concludes

-       There will be a maximum of 2 days between the starting of a series and the ending of a series.

-       The first two rounds there will be at least one baseball game on every day.

-       In the case of a tie a one game playoff will be played the day after the regular season concludes with the ballpark determined by coin toss. The winner of course advancing onto the playoffs.

 

8.   Do not change the MLB awards but change the description

The MVP should be saved for the most valuable position player not pitcher and the Cy Young award is for the best pitcher.  I do not believe a pitcher should be given the MVP because they only play in only about 20% of the 162 games played.  Giving a pitcher the MVP is just wrong and unfair to those players playing 100+ games a year.

 

9.   Change the Hall of Fame balloting

There should not be a limit on how many player you can vote for when it comes to the Hall of Fame.  I also believe they should increase the number of ballots for about 570 to an even 1000 and send them out to not only writers but to managers, coaches, players, announcers, bloggers, and fans to get a variety of opinions. I also think the managers, coaches, announcers and players should be a mix of former and current players.  Because of the increase in ballots sent I still believe that a player still needs to be on 75% of the ballots to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.  I also think the wait time to get on the hall of fame should decrease from 5 years to 3 years.  A player can remain on the ballot for 10 years or until they get below the ballot threshold of 25%. When they reach either 10 years or below 25% of the ballot they will be then be removed from any HOF consideration.  This process also goes for inducting managers, announcers, and other baseball employees who are eligible for the HOF.  I would also abolish the Veterans Committee.

 

10. Move around and create new deadlines/important dates

·         The current team’s exclusive negotiating rights for a soon to be free agent player expires on October 31^st

·         Free agency starts November 1^st and ends the first Sunday in December at midnight. This will cause a free agency frenzy much like the NFL does where all the players pretty much sign within the first month. Consequences by not signing by the first Sunday in December as a free agent is having to wait for the 2^nd free agent class signing.

·         2^nd free agency signing starts May 1^st and continues until next off-seasons free agency signing deadline. This signing period is for all players who did not sign by the first free agency signing date.

·         GM meeting will remain the same.

·         Move the All-Star Game to the last Tuesday in June and do the Homerun Derby the night before. This should be more in the middle of the season.

·         Move big trade deadline from the end of July to July 1^st. By moving the All-Star game up you can then move up the trade deadline (don’t want trade an All-Star player before the All-Star game, that could be a big issue). July 1^st is about the half-way point in the season so teams will still have an idea if they are buyers and sellers. 

I am just a fan of moving things forward and narrowing the window on deadlines.  I think by doing this it would make a more exciting off-season with a lot more action.  It would also leave the GM meeting to discuss trades rather than free agency which in turn increases the expectancy of trades.

 

I feel if Major League Baseball changed, added, and developed these things it would not only make the sport more appealing to die-hard fans like myself but to the average or even new fan.  The changes vary from significant to minor but adding all 10 would have such a positive impact on baseball as a whole.

 

Until Next Time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cubs Jayson Werth

 

I would like the Cubs to trade for 1 of these 5 players before the 2015 season starts. Note these players have been on the rumor trade block within the past year or so.  The Cubs are going to eventually have to make their Jayson Werth acquisition where they take on a big contract, trade for a guy in line for a contract, or pay out a big contract to a free agent.  The free agency does not look very good next season so I think capitalizing on a trade is the route they are going to have to take to receive an impact player.

 

1.     Carlos Gonzalez: He is by far my top pick because all the tools he provides and he is under the age of 30.  He is still under his large contract of 7 years 80M and set to become a free agent in 2018.  It is a gamble taking on such a big contact but you never have to worry about him leaving for free agency until 2018. You do worry about his trade cost though.  I still think the Cubs can get him without Baez or Bryant.

 

2.     Giancarlo Stanton: Not eligible for free agency until 2017 but he will get expensive quick since he is making $6.5M in his first year of arbitration.  His knees are troublesome but his power is not.  He is a close 2^ndbehind Cargo and his trade value maybe even higher. He will be really hard to get away from Miami.

 

 

3.     Jason Heyward: He may have the lowest trade value considering the decline in numbers at the plate but that should not scare off anyone considering he is a left-handed power bat who can play gold glove defense in RF.  Oh and did I mention the fact he is only 24 years old.  His contract could be worrisome because he is eligible for free agency in 2016 but Heyward is the kind of guy you don’t let get away.  I think the Braves will end up trading him especially since they are re-upping their superstars to mega deals except for Heyward who is only on a two year deal worth $13.3M.  I think the Cubs can get Heyward for a lower end top 10 prospect in their system.  I could see a guy like Alacantra be on the move to the Braves in a Heyward deal.

 

4.     Matt Kemp: The Dodgers have an outfield issue on where to play 4 high price athletes in 3 outfield positions.  Now I understand these things kind of work themselves out but the Dodgers could capitalize on this unfortunate problem by trading one of them.  The player that makes the most sense is Matt Kemp since he has the most upside and he is still on the right side of 30.  Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford are both older, on the decline, and owed more money than they are worth. Puig…no way he is traded! Matt Kemp on the other hand still has value which they could capitalize on.  The other thing that may force the Dodgers hand is outfield prospect Joc Pederson who is killing it in AAA.  To me this makes a ton of sense for the Cubs to get their Jayson Werth.  They will be taking on a huge contact on a guy likely not worth that kind of money. But they need a youngish veteran player on this team and apart of the core.  He fills that plus we all know his upside of a possible 30/30 guy is really obtainable if he remains healthy.  There is a huge gamble here especially since his contract is big and his trade cost will be comparable Heyward or maybe even a little more.  This would be a do or die deal for the Cubs but I think it is a chance they are willing to take.

 

5.     Matt Wieters: He is the last guy on my list but could have a big impact as well.  A left-handed bat that will hit 20+ homers at the catcher position is hard to come by.  The knock against Wieters is of course he is represented by Boras and will be a free agent in 2016.  His cost should remain high as well but not as high as anyone else on this list.  Wieters is also a solid backstop which makes acquiring him even more intriguing.  I am not saying by any means that I am not happy with Castillo but I do have doubts on whether he is the catcher of the future for the Chicago Cubs.

 

In the end I think the Cubs are in a good position if they deal for any of these 5 players.  I think a guy like Carlos Gonzalez would have the most impact but I also think he would be the hardest to pry away.  I think trading for a guy like Kemp or Heyward would be the most likely given the contract status of the players and the risk involved in the deal for the Cubs.  Giancarlo Stanton is the least likely to happen because of this asking price and the desire to get a long term deal done in Miami.  While Matt Wieters maybe the less sexiest option out of the 5 he also has the lowest risk.  Each deal has its pros and cons but when it comes down to it which one of these players will become the Cubs “Jayson Werth?”

 

Until Next Time…